The Power of the Press African American News Publications in the Jim Crow Era

Throughout United States history, the press has played a significant role in social conflicts and political events. In the African American community, newspapers played a vital role in fighting racism and social injustice. As early as 1827, writers John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish published the Freedoms Journal  for the freed African American community. Freedoms Journal was also the first African-American news publication. Following in Russwurm and Cornishs footsteps, abolitionists such as   Frederick Douglass and Mary Ann Shadd Cary published newspapers to campaign against enslavement.   Following the Civil War, African American communities throughout the United States desired a voice that would not only expose injustices, but also celebrate everyday events such as weddings, birthdays, and charity events. Black newspapers cropped up in southern towns and northern cities. Below are three are the most prominent papers during the Jim Crow Era.   The Chicago Defender Published: 1905Founding Publisher: Robert S. AbottMission: The Defender utilized the tactics of yellow journalism to expose racism and oppression that African-Americans faced throughout the United States. Robert S. Abott published the first edition of The Chicago Defender with an investment of twenty-five cents. He used his landlord’s kitchen to print copies of the paper—a collection of news clippings from other publications and Abott’s own reporting. By 1916, The Chicago Defender boasted a circulation of more than 15,000 and was considered one of the best African-American newspapers in the United States. The news publication went on to have a circulation of over 100,000, a health column and a full page of comic strips. From the outset, Abbott employed yellow journalistic tactics-sensational headlines and dramatic news accounts of African-American communities throughout the nation. The tone of the paper was militant and referred to African-Americans, not as black or negro but as the race. Graphic images of lynchings, assaults and other acts of violence against African-Americans were published prominently in the paper. As an initial supporter of The Great Migration, The Chicago Defender published train schedules and job listings in its advertising pages as well as editorials, cartoons, and news articles to persuade African-Americans to relocate to northern cities. Through its coverage of the Red Summer of 1919, the publication used these race riots to campaign for anti-lynching legislation. Writers such as Walter White and Langston Hughes served as columnists; Gwendolyn Brooks published one of her earliest poems in the pages of the Chicago Defender. The California Eagle Published: 1910Founding Publisher(s): John and Charlotta BassMission: Initially, the publication was to help African-American migrants settle in the West by providing housing and job listings. Throughout the Great Migration, the publication focused on challenging injustice and racist practices in the United States. The Eagle led campaigns against racism in the motion picture industry. In 1914, publishers of The Eagle printed a series of articles and editorials protesting the negative portrayals of African-Americans in D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation. Other newspapers joined the campaign and as a result, the film was banned in several communities across the nation. On the local level, The Eagle used its printing presses to expose police brutality in Los Angeles. The publication also reported on and discriminatory hiring practices of companies such as the Southern Telephone Company, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Boulder Dam Company, the Los Angeles General Hospital, and the Los Angeles Rapid Transit Company. The Norfolk Journal and Guide Published: 1910Founding Publisher: P.B. YoungCity: Norfolk, Va.Mission: Less militant than newspapers in northern cities, the publication focused on traditional, objective reporting of issues impacting African-American communities in Virginia. When The Norfolk Journal and Guide was established in 1910, it was a four-page weekly news publication. Its circulation was estimated at 500. However, by the 1930s, a national edition and several local editions of the newspaper were published throughout Virginia, Washington D.C., and Baltimore. By the 1940s, The Guide was one of the best-selling African-American news publications in the United States with a circulation of more than 80,000. One of the biggest differences between The Guide and other African-American newspapers was its philosophy of objective news reporting of events and issues facing African-Americans. In addition, while other African-American newspapers campaigned for the Great Migration, the editorial staff of The Guide argued that the South also offered opportunities for economic growth. As a result, The Guide, like the Atlanta Daily World was able to acquire advertisements for white-owned businesses on a local and national level. Although the papers less militant stance enabled The Guide to garner large advertising accounts, the paper also campaigned for improvements throughout Norfolk that would benefit all of its residents, including reducing crime as well as improved water and sewage systems.

Physics of Soccer - 1579 Words

The Physics Of Soccer Soccer is a sport that’s very challenging and during the course I’ve found physics can also be described as challenging. As far as I was concerned soccer and physics were both challenging and that was all they had in common, consequently upon researching them both this I found that I was wrong. For me this was nothing new because I’ve found that physics isn’t a subject that can be skimmed, but rather it has to be studied to the finest detail. Those small details if missed can make all your efforts worthless. Or on the positive side understanding those details can make your efforts worth it in the end. And in soccer if you understand the physics, which to most players would be considered as the small details, it pays†¦show more content†¦If you do not believe me about the incredible things that Roberto Carlos has done click on the link below and you will be amazed. The shots he takes are so amazing because they wrap around the defenders and then in stantly turn into the corner of the goal. This curvature is due to the fact that there is a low-drag, high-turbulent airflow working against the ball pushing it to the side due to the air resistance. To get his desired curve Roberto Carlos had to kick the ball with enough force to give it an initial velocity fast enough to get passed the defenders before the ball slows down and its smooth-airflow stage ends. Then he also had to put enough side spin on the ball to give it a rotating motion. Once past the defenders the balls smooth-airflow stage ends and the angular velocity put onto the ball comes into play causing the ball to turn directions. Many people can make a soccer ball curve some, but no one can do it as well as Roberto Carlos. Another aspect in Roberto Carloss game that is amazing is the fact that he can kick the ball at such a fast velocity. In fact, he has been known to kick the soccer ball as hard as ninety miles per hour. When kicking this hard it is hard for the goalie to do anything about it. Adidas is the leading researcher when it comes to the game of soccer. To an amateur soccer player all soccer balls being used probably feel about the same when playing, but the professionals canShow MoreRelated physics of soccer Essay809 Words   |  4 PagesPhysics of Soccer nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Eleven men take the field on a warm sunny day in South Korea. Thousands of anxious soccer fans await the blow of the referee’s whistle to commence the culmination of the world’s greatest sporting event, The World Cup. Thirty-two once stood now only two remain .The pitch is fair and the competition is fierce, four time defending champ Brazil looks confident as it glares across at its nemesis for the duration of ninety minutes, Germany. The entireRead MoreEssay on Physics of Soccer1792 Words   |  8 PagesPhysics of Soccer I. Introduction Soccer is a sport that’s very challenging and during the course of this semester I’ve found physics can also be described as challenging. As far as I was concerned soccer and physics were both challenging and that was all they had in common, consequently upon researching them both this semester I found that I was wrong. For me this was nothing new because I’ve found that physics isn’t a subject that can be skimmed, but rather it has to be studied toRead MorePhysics Of Kicking A Soccer Ball1353 Words   |  6 Pages The Physics of Kicking a Soccer Ball Alexander Trifu Physics 1000 Professor Terry Arnio Friday, February 19, 2016 Introduction Soccer is the most prominent game on the planet. Soccer players all work hard to stay as fit as possible and constantly train to enhance their skill. A large portion of players don t consider the scientific concept of this amazing sport and the soccer ball itself. I inquired about the material science of soccer and found some exceptionally fascinatingRead MoreThe Effect Of Physics On Soccer And How It Impacts The Overall Game1595 Words   |  7 Pages Cowans 1 PHYSICS OF SOCCER Tatiyana Cowans Physics Ms.Moore 11/3/2015 Cowans 2 NEWTONS LAWS OF MOTION Soccer is an International sport played all over the world. Soccer consist of two teams trying to score a soccer ball into a goal on the opposing team’s side of the field without using their arms or hands. This sport is straightforward and simple, but relates to physics in many ways. The basic movement of kicking a soccer ball requires forceRead MoreEffect of Spin on the Trajectory of a Kicked Soccer Ball Essay1094 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: I chose this project because soccer is one of the things I love to do. Soccer is one of the most popular sports across the whole world. In soccer being able to curve a soccer ball is very helpful for multiple reasons. One reason is to bend a ball around the a wall of players. Second to possibly score an amazing goal. And last of all to make a simple pass around a defender to a teammate. Anybody that plays soccer and enjoys it probably knows about the famous Roberto CarlosRead MoreThe Soccer Ball: Effect of Air Pressure on the Movement of the Soccer Ball824 Words   |  4 Pagesskill, and knowing more about the soccer ball, the individual will! The soccer ball is a very interesting object. A soccer ball has to have a certain amount of air pressure in order to work properly. The air also affects the soccer ball’s flight. The soccer ball is also made of different kinds of material and has different sizes. In the next couple of paragraphs I will tell you more about a soccer ball and the air pressure. The first soccer ball was a rubber soccer ball made of pig or ox bladder withRead MoreThe Soccer Ball By Physical Theory1570 Words   |  7 Pagesthink of how the soccer ball is spinning and not spinning. Also, the people who are playing soccer, do not think much about the principle of the soccer ball applied scientific facts and they are not aware of it. This background is the reason why I want to research, there are interesting factors in the soccer ball by physical theory. These physical theories are not only on the soccer ball but also it also applies to other sports or practical life but I will focus on aspect of soccer. The importanceRead MoreAngle of Shooting in Soccer1434 Words   |  6 Pagesscoring. My heart started pounding rapidly, I ran closer to the goal, and took the shot. I missed. My dad started teaching me to play soccer since I was very young. He used to be a soccer team’s captain when he was in university, so he was very good at soccer. Every weekend, he would bring my brother and me to a soccer field in our neighborhood, and we would play soccer with other people until sunset. Every time we go there, we always ended our days by practicing our shots. I still remembered learningRead MoreThe Science of Soccer1130 Words   |  5 PagesSoccer is my favorite sport. Soccer is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a circle shaped ball. This game is played on a rectangle shaped field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by using any part of the body (besides arms and hands) to get the soccer ball into the opposing goal. There are so many things that go into making a soccer game function. Science, math, and many other things help this game run properly. Weight and mass play a big part inRead MoreSoccer : Soccer And Soccer1589 Words   |  7 Pages Elijah Bowers Ms. Kelly Lepsig English IV 28 October 2016 Soccer History and Soccer Athletes When I was 11, I joined a youth soccer league thinking that it was going to be the easiest sport i ever played. I soon came to realize that this was not the case. Soccer was more challenging than I thought. So that s why i Quit and played Baseball. I think I made the right decision. Soccer is the world s most popular sport.(according to espn.com rankings) It is the national sport of most European

A Critical Analysis of The Hero free essay sample

A Critical Analysis of The Hero, with References to Beowulf. After critical analysis and in-depth reflection, I have adopted the belief that heroes, despite their extraneous characteristics, have very similar values to the people that follow them. This point of view can best be explained using three key points of focus. These points are as follows: The similarity of a higher guidance In times of need, the similarity of the code of honor that they live by, and the fact that no matter who the hero Is, he or she Is under pressure to be a successful role model. The similarity of higher guidance In times of need Is the easiest and most direct of all the three factors. Most heroes, but not all, live their lives In allegiance to God or another worshiped figure. Take the story of Beowulf for example. Beowulf was without fear when he faced the monster known as Greened. We will write a custom essay sample on A Critical Analysis of The Hero or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This Is due to the fact that Beowulf lived a life of faith. Faith in God assured him that win or lose, he was fighting for everything that represented good. He was ready to die, and would be honored to do so, especially in such a dramatic battle of good against evil. Beowulf oath reached so high that when fighting Greened; he had not a shred of fear. He was positive that he was doing Gods bidding, and for this was the lifestyle a hero should strive to achieve. The people that followed him and believed him are no different. People have relied on faith throughout time. There are many people that live lives of purity and worship. There are also many people that believe that God has decided their fate already, and they are mere servants living out a script of divine creation.Although slight differences are present, faith is equally important in the lives of those ho embrace it, whether they are a hero or a lowly servant. I believe the correct view on the subject is that no matter who you are, you are still Gods love and servant. This unites every class, as long as they chose to believe it. Another communal characteristic of heroes and those who follow them Is the fact that everyone lives by a code of honor. Heroes live by a higher code of honor than those who follow them.For heroes, their actions must either all be in accordance with the rules set by their master, or greatly excel the expectations that are held for others. Going out of their way at every possible Instance Is considered mandatory. The main point of all of this Is not that they actually do all these things, but that they proudly enjoy performing the tasks given to them. Everyday people are the same, Just less Intense. Everyone has a code of honor. Some have a higher level than others. One person may live by a code of honor consisting of no regulations at all.Another could live by the regulations that they cant go against the bible, cant break the law, and occasionally have to try to be nice to people. In another case, a person could see the minimum code of conduct in their life being to live their life in the footsteps of God, obey all laws, and do every possible act of humanity and good will that they can. The point is that no matter who the subject is, be it hero or zero, everyone has a code of conduct that they chose to live by or disregard. The choice is for the person to Heroes are under great pressure to always do the right thing.Sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest thing to do. Perhaps being a hero is not so great after all. Trying to live a faithful and honorable life, it can be hard to please everyone. Being a hero means having people know and react to the actions produced by that hero. Therefore, being a hero is synonymous with being a role model. There is no question as to whether or not the hero will strive to the right thing. But it is possible that others may interpret the heros actions incorrectly and doubt the heros faith and Judgment.I can see where it could be hard for a hero to accomplish his goals when they are for the benefit of people that dont care for him. A good hero will overcome this hurdle and realize that his intentions will be condoned and supported in retrospect. People are the same. It doesnt matter who you are, because everyone looks up to someone and is influenced by his or her actions. It is hard to do the right thing when you have to second-guess every decision in order to please people.A true hero does what he/she believes is right, and worries what others think only when they have realized that the hero was right all along. In conclusion, despite their extraneous characteristics, heroes have very similar values to the people that follow them due to the facts that: The similarity of a higher guidance in times of need, the similarity of the code of honor that they live by, and the fact that no matter who the hero is, he or she is under pressure to be a successful role model.

Planarians Lab Report Sample

Planarians Lab Report Paper One Planarian Labels Scalpel Pipette Petri Dish Ruler (mm) Spring Water Safety Concerns: Sharp Objects Proper Attire Procedure: 1) Wear proper attire before starting the experiment. 2) Pick up the planar Ian with a pipette and put in the Petri dish with spring water in the dishes. 3) Label the Petri dish with the names and date. 4) Observe the planar Ian and record the initial length of the planarian in millimeter by using a ruler. 5) Cut the planarian horizontally in half. Using the scalpel, cut away from the body. ) Observe one half of the planarian and re cord the length of the planarians head in millimeters. Ail in millimeters. 8) Repeat steps 5 and 6 over 6 more observation days. Table 1. Planarians Lengths Over Six Observation Days Date Initial Length (mm) Head Length (mm) Tail Length (mm) 10/09/14 mm m mm m mm 10/14/14 mm 10/15/14 mm (First Growth) 10/16/14 mm 10/17/14 mm (First Growth) 10/20/14 mm Missing Calculations: To see what half of the planarian grew the most, take the starting length of the half and subtract from the ending length for the calculation of the overall g Roth. For example, take 4 millimeters away from 6 millimeters for the head length and 2 millimeters away from 3 millimeters for the tail length. Then c ampere the two final answers to see which planarian grew the most. In the experiment the head grew more than the tail by 1 millimeter. Analysis: The initial length of the planarian head was 4 mill meters. The initial length of the planarian tail was 2 millimeters. By the third day the planarian was observed, the planarian he ad grew 1 millimeter while the planarian tail stayed at 2 millimeters. On the fifth day the planarian was observed the planarian head grew another mill meter and the planarian tail grew 1 millimeter. The last day the planarian was observed the planarian head was the same length at 6 millimeters and the planarian tail was missing. Overall, the planarian head grew 2 millimeters and the planarian tail grew 1 millimeter. The average gar with rate for the planarian head was h millimeter per observation day. The average growth for the planarian tail was 1/6 per observation day. We will write a custom essay sample on Planarians Lab Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Planarians Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Planarians Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Conclusion: If the planarian is horizontally cut in half, then the planarians head will genera et the most. Before the experiment the planarian head was thought to grow m ore than the planarian tail. After the experiment the planarian head ended up growing more than the planarian tail. The hypothesis for the experiment was s purported by the data. Over the observation days the planarian head seem De to have a more rapid growth than the planarian tail. Table 1 shows that he planarian head started to grow on the seventh day of the experiment while the planarian tail started to grow on the ninth. As seen in Table 1, over the co ruse of 6 observation days the planarian head grew 1 millimeter more than t he planarian tail. Based on the hypothesis before the experiment started, the e planarian head was thought to grow more than 2 millimeters overall. The plan rain tail grew 1 millimeter overall concluding that planarian head grew the most. Further Studies: In the experiment two questions arose. What were to happen if the pal naira were in different types of liquids such as spring water or spring eater with vinegar? Would the planarian still live in different environ moments? If the planarian is put into a Petri dish with vinegar, then the planarian will still be able to live. Limitations: One limitation in this experiment could have been human error. The SST dents could have spilt the water out of the Petri dishes and could have 10 SST one of the planarian. If the water was spilt then the data would be oaf acted because the students would no longer have one of the planarians and would have to start a new data table for a new planarian. To prevent FRR mom spilling the students could have done the experiment in the same place w ere the students kept the planarian.

Federalist Papers 10 and 51 essays

Federalist Papers 10 and 51 essays Madisons essay is filled with figurative and flowery language. In todays terms, a faction would be a special interest group. They are any group of citizen who attempt to advance their ideas or economic interests at the expense of other citizens, or in ways that conflict with the public good. To control a minority faction, there are two options. One option would be to remove whatever causes the faction to rise in the first place. However, this is unrealistic. Therefore, a second proposal was made. In it, Madison says to control factions you dont remove its causes, but control its effects. Factions will never cease to exist so the trick is to serve the public well through the even-handed regulation of such interests. Wise and efficient leaders can adjust such adversity and render them all subservient to the public good. Madisons system of checks and balances controls tyranny while still leaving a government that fulfills the needs of the people because not one branch of government is too powerful. Each has some sort of veto power and the people feel that they have a say through direct election of Senators and other voting privileges. In such a compound of the power surrendered by the people, a first division is made between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each, subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other; at the same time that each will be controlled by itself. Also, society is guarded against the oppression of its rulers but also society is guarded against the injustice of the other part. In both Federalist essays, Madison argues the merits of a republic, even though personal liberty must be limited. In my opinion, our republic is moderately a democracy. Were not democratic to the extent where the people vote on every issue, but the people do ...

Essay on Disaster Management Reflections

Essay on Disaster Management Reflections Essay on Disaster Management Reflections Example Essay on Disaster Management Reflections: The earth has been affected by the natural hazards over a long time as man emerged into picture the picture that the natural occurrences were becoming disaster, together with being documented in various ways providing a warning for the future generation. However in 1920, there was a published study referred to as the catastrophe and social change by Henry Samuel Prince. This was the Halifax Disaster documented account and the occurrence of the social change. The first person to deliver evidence based study was Prince, by use of theory founding a paradigm which paved way for the management of disaster to be studied (Sperling, 2004). A change in social can be caused by disasters. Social change always is not for better depending on affected population resources (Oliver, 2002). Change in disaster study started changing with theories like as Carr discussing a cultural protection collapse. Carr made a discussion on how we got the tools in place encountering the act of disasters though if there was lack of these tools there was no more protection. Disaster is any occurrence that causes ecological disruption, damage, human life loss, health services and health deterioration on sufficient scale to warrant response extraordinary from the outside area or community affected (De Boer, 2000). In addition, it can be also defined as the series or event which disrupts the normal activities seriously. Disaster means a sudden or great misfortune. This may include tsunami; fires; floods; droughts; flood and many others. The major disasters naturally may include earthquake, cyclone, flood, and drought. Minor disasters naturally include storm, heat waves, cold wave, mud slides, and thunderstorm. The major disasters that may occur in man made activities include deforestation, fires, setting of fires, and pollution due to their prawn activities. Minor man made occurrence of disasters may include accidents on the roads or trains, riots, industrial riots, food poisoning, and environmental pollution. In history throughout disasters had some impacts significantly on the number, life style and health status of the population such as death, shortage of food, movements of the population, damage of water systems and the health facilities, and severe injuries which requires treatment extensive. Health problem that is common to every disaster include mental health, social reactions, nutrition and food, climatic exposure, health infrastructure damage, and population displacement. Whether a disaster is man- made or natural, it can occur at anytime and anywhere. General response to any disaster is thereby in terms of rescue and relief operations which are after the event. If we are well and adequately prepared, it is very easy to reduce the impact of that disaster. There can be reduction of the impact through being aware by understanding well the preventive actions, together with having knowledge of particular tools and techniques; at the time of disaster event these tools and techniques can be used to control total damage to belongings and life. The biggest problem and very sad thing is the way a disaster occur; they occur with swiftness and suddenness hence, for a disaster serenity to be reduced, the response has to be swift equally(De Boer, 2000). It is hard for a day to pass without news about complex or major emergency happening in different parts of the world, as disasters continue to strike causing destruction to both developed and undeveloped countries (Dyregrov, 1999). This raises vulnerability concern to occurrences that may affect gravely our daily lives and the future. In vulnerable populations, some emergency in particular those occurring in nature become catastrophic events only when they are in combination with the vulnerability factors like populations density and the human settlements. An occurrence of earthquake in deserted area is might be considered as a natural hazard, rather than if it occurred in mega city where it is recognized as major disaster (Stewart, 2005). Any type of emergency that has anything to do with vulnerability population together with man made included, concerns some technological disasters like the ones of chemicals or nuclear; these demonstrates complex and major emergencies are linked closely to an anarchic growth population that leads to poverty, unplanned population settlements, and environmental degradation. Disasters themselves have no limitation to specific parts of world. There are no countries that are disaster immune, but there is variance in disaster vulnerability (Sperling, 2005). However, some countries might be more prone to a particular type of disaster. The more advanced a country is, the level of their preparedness is slightly higher. High level of preparedness enhances them have good control over loss. Some disasters where loss during actual event is not required as high, hence losses become a bit high due to the inability in managing the situation in a timed manner. Another thing that might lead to a big loss during certain disasters is the secure utilities and properly manages inability (Pearce, 2003). In one way these utilities tend to be very important, and on the other hand, due to ruptures or leakage, some of them might be in contact with each other, where they are not supposed to therefore leading to further damage. The most important thing and the most motivation of disaster management are minimizing losses at disaster time together with ensuring that resources are utilized effectively; as they are scarce already. The major disasters naturally may include earthquake, cyclone, flood, and drought. Minor disasters naturally include storm, heat waves, cold wave, mud slides, and thunderstorm. The major disasters that may occur in man made activities include deforestation, fires, setting of fires, and pollution due to their prawn activities. Minor man made occurrence of disasters may include accidents on the roads or trains, riots, industrial riots, food poisoning, and environmental pollution. There are four types of disaster mainly. These include environmental emergencies, natural disasters, pandemic disasters, and complex disasters. Disaster prevention is activities that are designed for provision of permanent disasters protection. Not every disaster can be prevented and particularly natural disasters; the loss risk of injury and life can be only mitigated with plans of good evacuation, design standards and environmental planning. Disaster preparedness is activities for life loss and damage minimization (Pearce, 2003). Preparedness is the best way of reducing disasters impact. Disaster relief is a multi-agency coordinated response of reducing disaster impact and its results of long-term. These activities may include relocation, rescue, water and food provision, preventing disability and disease, repair of vital services like transport, provision of temporary shelter and health care emergency. Once the needs of emergency has been accomplished and the crisis is initially over, those affected together with the community supporting them remain vulnerable. Management of disaster is linked with the development sustainably, in particular with vulnerable people relation like the ones with disability, children, elderly people and groups marginalized. ______________ is a professional essay writing service which can provide high school, college and university students with 100% original custom written essays, research papers, dissertations, courseworks, book reviews, lab reports, presentations and other assignments of top quality. More than 700 professional Ph.D. and Master’s academic writers. Feel free to buy online essay on Disaster Management from our professional essay writing service.

Insurance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Insurance - Term Paper Example Economics defines insurance as a form of risk management, which is an equitable transfer of a loss from an entity to another and money is the form of exchange (Birds 54). An insurer is the company selling the insurance; the insured is the buyer of the insurance policy, whilst premium is the amount charged for a certain insurance coverage. An insured entity is protected from risks that may occur; however, the insured risk must meet the requirements for it to qualify as an insurable risk. Nevertheless, the insurance industry is flooded with many companies issuing different types of insurance at competitive rates. The insurance companies offer different types of insurance, for instance, auto insurance, health insurance, accident insurance, life insurance, and home insurance among others. The concept of risk is very important to insurance, as it is concerned with uncertainties. An insurance cover is usually designed to protect a customer against losses. Generally, clients choose certain covers that guarantee them a peace of mind and financial protection. For instance, life insurance is designed to assist loved ones incase of death of the insured; it is in form of payment to the beneficiaries – however, cases of suicide are not considered, (Holland, et al 65). The policyholder does not benefit from this type of cover, since it is active when he dies, hence benefiting his next of kin. Some critical illnesses are added to life insurance, and in this case, the policyholder will be paid a lump of money referred to as annuity and they are allowed to keep the money incase they recover. Car insurance is another common type of insurance since each driver is required to attain car insurance globally. Some types of Car insurance cover the third party incase of an accident and offer legal protection, but this depends on the kind of policy the insured has. Coverage may include the damage of the car, theft of the car, medical expenses and funeral

The Impact of the Aging Population on Public Health Care Research Paper

The Impact of the Aging Population on Public Health Care - Research Paper Example Immediately afterward the population of old people with sickness will grow rapidly. The outcome could be a massive allotment of resources to the elderly (Callahan 4). An effective solution to the current issue in the medical system should recognize these changes demography, and it should consider not just individual’s wellbeing but also the stability of the society and the well-being of the public. This research paper discusses the impact of an aging population on all aspects of the medical system, and the potential solutions to this health care issue. The impact of the aging population is more striking in the mental health care sector. The percentage of older people across the globe is continuously rising. For the elderly, mental health problems are a major reason for early mortality and morbidity. Severe depression and dementia are the two most common mental health disorders among the elderly. Specific medical needs of the older people should be recognized and provided by the medical system. Long-term care has been a serious issue brought about by the rapid aging of the population. The most evident impacts of an aging population are to be found in highly developed countries and developing nations like Latin America and China (Rao & Shaji 1). Because of the unparalleled rate of population aging, these countries would have difficulties creating health care and social policies on time to address the medical requirements of the older people. The poor priority given to the medical needs of the aged seems to contribute to the public’s insufficient knowledge about older people’s mental health disorders. Dementia and other neuropsychological problems of the elderly are still unknown issues seldom prioritized by policymakers and medical practitioners. General health services are still centralized or hospital-based and normally require long queues in jam-packed hospitals.

The Milestones and Major Developments in the Early Paleozoic Era Essay Example for Free

The Milestones and Major Developments in the Early Paleozoic Era Essay Understanding the diversity and complexity of life as observed in the current modern days may seem as difficult as defining life itself. The changes, developments, and evolution of the earth and the life forms it holds are all varied and sundry enough which makes it hard to understand without looking back to when, where, and how it all started. History, Geology, Paleontology, and many other branches of Science play a significant role in aiding people to better understand the roots and beginnings of the life seen today. These fields of studies help and serve like windows to the past which make it easier to know what it was like back when the Earth was young and life was primitive. These various disciplines draw attention to where life originated. Knowing the evolution of the earth and life forms can help make people understand what the modern life is made of. While some would see this study as a lame and monotonous venture, it can never be denied that knowledge about the origins of life and the world addresses very common issues like confusions as to how the modern human beings got their form and the very controversial issue as to where actually life came from. Debates and ideological arguments will always be inevitable, but Science got the only factual proofs and pieces of evidence about where life actually started and how it came to its present form from the simplest and most primitive elements. All these can only be understood by studying and looking back at the beginning. Thus, this paper shall discuss one of the most important and most highlighted eras in the history of life and the Earth—the Early Paleozoic Era. The Paleozoic Era The term â€Å"Paleozoic Era† literally equates to the term â€Å"time of ancient life† (Farabee). This is the bracket of time between 544 and 245 million years in the past. The Online Biology Book written by Michael Farabee and sponsored by Estrella Mountain Community College summarizes the major highlights of the Paleozoic Era. A section of the book explains meticulously about this prehistoric period. The Paleozoic era is from the general period when life forms began to spring known as the Phanerozoic Eon. This period has been known to exist about 542 million years ago (Farabee). Phanerozoic Eon consists of three specific eras such as: 1) Paleozoic Era—also known as the â€Å"ancient life† which existed 542 to 251 million years ago; 2) Mesozoic Era—also regarded as the â€Å"middle life† which existed 251 to 65. 5 million years ago; and 3) Cenozoic Era—dubbed as the â€Å"recent life,† which has existed since 65. 5 million years ago up to the present time (Gore 1). The Paleozoic Era appears to be the first period from the Phanerozoic Eon when the earliest complex life forms first existed. The Early Paleozoic specifically can be further divided into three periods such as the 1. ) Cambrian, 2. ) Ordovician, and the 3. ) Sulirian periods. It was during the earlier parts of the Paleozoic era when major advances in biological evolution were dated. The first of such developments and evolutions was that of the Cambrian Explosion. After this highlight came the developments of some group of green algae from the Ordovician period. This development in the early forms of primitive plants led to the evolutions of vertebrates since most plants during that time were found to move from water to land (Farabee). The Cambrian Explosion (544-505 million years ago) The Cambrian explosion during the earliest years of the Paleozoic era has been considered as the most interesting zoological myth there is about the origin of life (Dawkins and Wong 436). This is because this was the period when the earliest known animal and plant life sprang and had left very remarkable pieces of fossils which served as their memoirs for the modern scientists of today. It was during the Cambrian period when primitive life such as Coelenterates, protozoa, poriferans, molluscans, worms, echinoderms, trilobites, tribitmorphs, achaocyathids, and brachiopods were found to rule the animal kingdom (Balisteri et al. ). However, these primitive life forms were seen only in bodies of water. The Early Cambrian period was also tagged as a â€Å"wild time† for animal evolution (Farabee). This was because within the relatively short period of time, a wide variety of body plans among animals have already developed. One of the most prevailing groups of primitive animals during that time was the trilobites. These shallow-marine dwelling organisms lived during the Cambrian period, and through the rest of the period, this group has diversified into other more complex forms of organisms (Balisteri et al. ). However, due to the massive cooling and freezing on most of the Earth’s land during this time, extinction was found very distinct in this period. As to primitive plant life during the Cambrian period, algae was found to be the major group of plant life that existed in this period. These plants were known to have secreted lime-like substances which aid in the development and formation of rocks (Balisteri et al. ). Also, plants were found to have inhabited the lands first before the animals did during the Cambrian period. It was also during this period when the world’s primitive supercontinent, Pangaea, was believed to start breaking apart (Balisteri et al. ). During the Cambrian period, the large continent of the North America moved upward the globe through the equator. Gondwana, which is the largest remaining land mass of Pangaea during that time, divided into what we know today as India, Australia, Antarctica, and South America. The Ordovician Period (505-440 million years ago) The Ordovician period was characterized by the emergence of the world’s earliest volcanoes. This caused the formation of igneous rocks from the produced ash and lava from eruptions (Balisteri et al. ). This period was also marked by the continental submergence. The most highlighted part of this event was the Late Ordovician Flood which caused continents to contract and moved closer to each other. The most popular remain of this great flood as of today is the Atlantic Ocean (Balisteri et al. ). It was also noted that sea levels were generally high during the Ordovician period. However, there were still shallow waters that have been dated and found to have depositions of shallow water carbonated rocks. These were eventually traced through the presence of mudcracks and stromatolites nowadays (Gore 6). When it comes to life form evolution, diversification will best describe the action by the survivor organisms among the many life forms that became extinct from the Cambrian period (Farabee). During this period, the earliest forms of sea vertebrates, such worm-like creatures, evolved (Christian and McNeill 123). These are the creatures were found to be the ancestors of the sharks and common fishes today. These Ordovician marine vertebrates were complete with backbone, limbs, and a nervous system which formed mainly the head. Also, the remaining species that the Cambrian period left like the brachiopods, trilobites and mollusks were reported to undergo a Jurassic evolution. Thus, the first Ordovician marine vertebrates were reported to be armored, jawless, and covered with hard shells (Balisteri et al. ). On the other hand, the development of plants from the earlier group of green algae was also a milestone during this period. Scientific studies of fossils and biochemical proofs show that modern plant species rooted from the multicellular green algae that prospered during the Ordovician period (Cartage. org). Among these green algal groups, Charophytes were found to be most dominant at that time. These algae with the rest of the other algal groups were known to reside within the cool waters of the ocean, but between 500-400 million years ago, some algal groups were found to transfer to land through various levels of adaptations and evolutions which aided them to live outside the waters (Farabee). The Sulirian Period (440-410 million years ago) This period was characterized by the evolution of scorpion-like creatures as large as modern human beings (Christian and McNeil 123). These creatures were known as Euyperiods which were known to root from the extinct family of marine arthropods (Balisteri et al. ). These creatures were averagely 3 meters long and these were known to reside in the seas. Moreover, various other creatures that were abundant in the Cambrian and Ordovician periods have decreased in number during the Silurian period. Some of these animals were the Trilobites. However, the Silurian period was also distinct for the abundance of coral reefs, cephalopods, and jawed fishes that colored up and made the waters alive during this period. The said reefs have covered what people now know as the sea floors of Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie (Balisteri et al.). This period was found to be dominated by the early vascular plants—which developed tiny tubes within their structures to support the transport of nutrients—as well as varieties of insects (Paull). However, both these plants and animals went through specific challenges which threatened their early extinction during that time. These challenges were that of 1) Drying out—plants and animals would have to take sometime to adapt to a new environment like when they transfer from water to land; 2) Gas exchange—respiration also takes sometime to adapt to the change in environment these creatures had to go through; 3. ) Weight support; 4. ) Conduction; and 5. ) Reproduction—the change in environment also has great effects on the reproduction process of organisms. More often than not, the change of environment tends to slow down their reproduction ability (Farabee). In addition, the Caledonian Mountain which is currently found in Canada was found to have started to form through the collision of European and North American plates (Paull). These were the major highlights and developments during the Early Paleozoic era of life and world history. This field of study may appear too complicated and boring for most people to study. However, by going through the facts and amazing discoveries of the life forms of the past and discovering how they come to produce what life is like today, it may seem that studying where the modern life rooted from is indeed an interesting and adventurous ride through both history and science. Works Cited Balisteri, Alex, Ulrike Balisteri, Bernd Bickel, Ron Schumacher, Beate Steger, and Sarah Young. â€Å"History of the Earth.† Think Quest. 1998. 04 December 2008 http://library. thinkquest. org/20886/. Christian, David and William H. McNeil. Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History. California: University of California Press, 2004. Dawkins, Richard and Yan Wong. The Ancestor’s Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books, 2004. Farabee, Michael J. â€Å"The Early Paleozoic. † On-Line Biology Book. 07 October 2002. Estrella Mountain Community College. 04 December 2008 http://www. cartage. org. lb/en/themes/sciences/Paleontology/Paleozoology/EarlyPaleozoic/EarlyPaleozoic. htm. Gore, Pamela J. W. â€Å"Early Paleozoic Events. † The Earth Through Time. 10 November 2005. Georgia Perimeter College. 04 December 2008 http://higheredbcs. wiley. com/legacy/college/levin/0471697435/chap_tut/chaps/chapter10-01. html. Paull, Gene J. â€Å"Early Paleozoic. † University of Texas at Brownsville. 20 August 2008. 04 December 2008. http://blue. utb. edu/paullgj/geol1404/lectures/early_paleozoic. html.

Free Essay on Frost’s Out, out and Mid Term Break :: term out

The Fragility of Life in Frost’s Out, out and Mid Term Break  Ã‚   The poem â€Å"Out, out† by Robert Frost is a poem about a young boy who uses a buzz saw.   When fate decides the boy’s time is up, the saw cuts the boy’s hand, and the boy slowly dies. The theme of â€Å"Out, out†, as well as â€Å"Mid Term Break†, is the fragility of life.    â€Å"Out, out†, like â€Å"Mid-Term Break† focuses on the issue of God’s randomness in choosing who lives and who doesn’t. This fragility is emphasized, as the title of the poem is a line from the play Macbeth, â€Å"Out, out brief candle, life is but a walking shadow.† This way of portraying life as a candle, gives the impression that whoever guards this candle could just as easily blow it out, at any time, any place and just as sudden. The pace of this poem varies from slow and steady at the beginning and then quick in the middle and then back to slow and steady again. At the beginning of the poem, the pace is very slow and gentle as the poet introduces us to the future incident. Once the incident occurs, the pace of the poem dramatically increases. This increase in pace relates to how quickly the incident happened to those people who were observing the accident. The poem’s tone evolves around acceptance. Unlike in â€Å"Mid Term Break†, the poem has no true sadness or funerals, there seems not to be any real emotions shown by other family members. For example, there is no body grieving over the death of this boy. The people who witnessed the accident accepted this accident as they would an earthquake, a natural disaster that can’t be prevented. In this poem, Robert Frost uses many techniques to describe to us his feelings and emotions on the issue of death; these emotions and techniques can be compared to those of Seamus Heaney in the poem, â€Å"Mid Term Break†. In both â€Å"Out, out† and â€Å"Mid Term Break†, the poets use candles to symbolise life, although the poets use this symbolism differently. In â€Å"Mid Term Break†, Seamus Heaney uses candles to symbolise everlasting life, whereas Robert Frost uses candles to portray the vulnerability of our lives in the title of his poem, â€Å"Out, out†. In the opening part of this poem, the poet uses the technique of onomatopoeia. This means that he uses words that sound like their meanings.

Brihadeeswara Temple Essay

Location: The Brihadeeswara is located in Tanjavur district in Tamilnadu, India. The temple was built on the banks of River Cauvery with its water turned to the moat. The temple, constructed entirely of granite, stands amidst fortified walls. There was no rock formation around this area. It is believed that the rocks would have been brought from a place at least 50kms away. History: The temple had its foundations laid out by the Tamil emperor Arulmozhivarman, popularly called Rajaraja Chola I, in 1002 CE, as the first of the great Tamil Chola building projects. It was built to grace the throne of the Chola Empire in compliance of a command given to him in his dream. The scale and grandeur is in the Chola tradition. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout. Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Chola wealth, power and artistic expertise. The emergence of such features as the multifaceted columns with projecting square capitals signals the arrival of the new Chola style. The Brihadeeswara Temple was built to be the royal temple to display the emperor’s vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order. The temple was the site of the major royal ceremonies such as anointing the emperor and linking him with its deity, Shiva, and the daily rituals of the deities were mirrored by those of the king. It is an architectural exemplar showcasing the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and representative of the Chola Empire ideology and the Tamil civilization in Southern India. The temple â€Å"testifies to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. † Construction: The wish to build a mammoth temple like this is said to have occurred to Rajaraja while he stayed at Sri Lanka as an emperor. This temple is the first building fully built by granite and finished within 5 years [1004AD – 1009AD]. The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone deities and representatives of Shiva dance. The huge kalasam or Vimanam (top portion of the shrine) is believed to weigh 81. 28 tonnes and was raised to its present height by dragging on an inclined plane of 6. 44 km. The big Nandi (bull), weighing about 20 tonnes is made of a single stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in length and 2. m in width. The presiding deity of lingam is 3. 7m tall. The prakaram (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240m by 125m. The outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 81 dance karanas – postures of Bharathanatyam, the classical dance of Tamils. The shrine of Goddess is added by Pandyas during the 13th century; Subramanya Shrine was renovated by Vijayanagara rulers and the Vinayaka shrine was renovated by Maratha rulers. Architecture: The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, so smaller than the vimana. It is unusual in the Dravidian architecture where the gopurams are generally the main towers and taller than the vimana. A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the outer boundary. The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle composed of a sanctuary, a Nandi made of a single stone, a pillared hall and an assembly hall (mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasizing the principle cult icons. The karuvarai, a Tamil word meaning the interior of the sanctum sanctorum, is the inner most sanctum and focus of the temple where an image of the primary deity, Shiva, resides. Inside is a huge stone lingam. The word Karuvarai means â€Å"womb chamber† from Tamil word karu for foetus. Only priests are allowed to enter this inner-most chamber. In the Dravida style, the Karuvarai takes the form of a miniature vimana with other features exclusive to southern Indian temple architecture such as the inner wall together with the outer wall creating a pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation (pradakshina). The entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagriha. The garbhagriha is square and sits on a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it is representative of a microcosm of the universe. In the center is placed the image of the deity. The royal bathing-hall where Rajaraja the great gave gifts is to the east of the hall of Irumudi-Soran. The circumambulation winds around the massive lingam in the garbhagriha and is repeated in an upper story, presenting the idea that Chola Empire freely offered access to the gods. The inner mandapa leads out to a rectangular mandapa and then to a twenty-columned porch with three staircases leading down. Sharing the same stone plinth is a small open mandapa dedicated to Nandi, Shiva’s sacred bull mount. Surrounding the main temple are two walled enclosures. The outer wall is high, defining the temple complex area. Here is the massive gopuram or gateway mentioned above. Within this a portico, a barrel vaulted gorpuram with over 400 pillars, is enclosed by a high wall interspersed with huge gopurams axially lined up to the main temple. Legends: After the death of the patron, Rajaraja Chola I, his son Rajendra I who was a great military leader succeeded him in 1014. During his reign, he extended the territory of already vast Chola Empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean. He shifted the capital of the Chola kingdom to Gangaikondacholapuram, about 60km away, and started building a new temple there, as he wanted to build a bigger version of â€Å"The Big Temple†. Rajaraja Chola I donated a big amount of money for the maintenance of the Brihadeeswara. But, Rajendra I had diverted all the money for the construction of his new temple. His decision deprived the Big Temple of royal patronage. However, Rajendra was able to build only a smaller version of the Big Temple, eventually. Furthermore, the Cholas built hundreds of temples along the banks of the River Cauvery, changing its landscape forever. None of the forts and palaces built by the Cholas survives today. But the temples remain and they stand testimony to their achievements. They are also a major tourist attraction for both local and foreign visitors. Myths: The 60-metre tall Vimana is the tallest in South India. A European-like figure which is carved on the Vimana is believed to be an ancient warning of the arrival of the Europeans. Later investigations by archaeologists proposed that this claim may be a hoax. Features: Another widely held belief is that the shadow of the gopuram (pyramidal tower usually over the gateway of a temple) never falls on the ground. . The temple is said to be made up of about 130,000 tons of granite. The Kumbam itself, a 60 ton granite stone carved in one piece, on top of the main gopuram is believed to have been taken to the top by creating an inclined slope to the height of 66m to the top of the gopuram. The prevailing belief is that a mud-slope, which starts at about three miles from the temple site, from Thirukoilore (birthplace of Raja raja’s mother) near Sri Virateshvara swamy temple. Elephants might have been used to drag the stone up the slope. This was claimed to be the only part of the gopuram, which does not cast a shadow that fall on the ground, at least not within the temple premises. Millennium celebrations: Built in the year 1010ce by Rajaraja Chola in Thanjavur, Brihadeeswara Temple popularly known as the ‘Big Temple’ turned 1000 years old in September 2010. To celebrate the 1000th year of the grand structure, the state government and the town held many cultural events. It was to recall the 275th day of his 25th regal year (1010 CE) when Rajaraja Chola (985–1014 CE) handed over a gold-plated kalasam (copper pot or finial) for the final consecration to crown the vimana, the 59. 82-metre tall tower above the sanctum. Latest News: During the consecration (Kumbhabhishekham) of 1997, 48 people were killed in a fire accident and 86 others injured. The incident occurred hours before the Mahakumbabishekam ceremony. It is believed a fire cracker lit near the temple fell on the yagasala; a temporary structure built to accommodate the ritual ceremonies, and sparked the fire that spread to the thatched roofs. A stampede resulted when the panic-stricken devotees rushed the only entrance to the temple on the eastern side. However, another version claimed the fire was caused by a spark from the electric generator. Most of the deaths were reported be caused by the inhalation of carbon monoxide and a few due to burn injuries. The Tamil Nadu Government announced a compensation of Rs 100,000 to the families of the deceased and the injured were paid from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 each. Government of India, Mumbai Mint issued Rs. 1000/- coin to commemorate the 1000th year of the temple. And at last the Brihadeeswara is an unbelievable, extraordinary master piece of architecture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦actually designed not by Rajaraja, but by Somavarma the temple architect†¦

Pricing Strategy of Alitalia Airline Essay

Price is very important to the seller of any good or service who wants to make a profit. This is due to the reason that most consumers first look at the price, before considering whether or not to buy a good or service. The sellers have to be very careful when setting price, so that the good or service does not appear to be very expensive, since this will discourage the potential clients from purchasing them (Schade and Schlag 2002: 43-52), (McGrath 2000: 37-43). On the other hand, if the good or service appears to be too cheap, the clients will be suspicious of it. There are many strategies that are used by sellers in pricing their goods or services. These include loss leader, price discrimination, cost plus, penetration, limit, predatory, premium, creaming, marginal cost, target pricing among others (Yates 2003: 22-29), (Nagle and Holden 2002: 26-37). This paper will analyse Alitalia’s problems regarding pricing, among other factors. Introduction Alitalia is an Italian airline that began operation in 1947, and transports cargo and passengers in several destinations throughout the world. This airline serves twenty five Italian airports, forty five airports in North Africa, Europe and Middle East. According to Iatrou and Oretti (2007; 23-28) and Hanlon (2007: 26-28), it is one of the members of SkyTeam, an airline alliance that includes such major airlines as AeroMexico, Aeroflot, China Southern, Air France and others. Last year, the airline transported over 24 million passengers which represented an increase of 1. 5% from the previous year. Nature of Alitalia’s problems Alitalia has experienced financial difficulties over the years, which are mostly attributed to problems with crew members and pilots, political interference by the government and labour difficulties. There have been many allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of cash. Strikes by workers on several occasions have led to flight cancellations which further discourage customers from using the airline. According to Doganis 2006 (34-39), the government uses the airline to reward its cronies, further fostering its mismanagement. In terms of pricing, Alitalia is perceived by many passengers to charge very high prices which are not reflected by the service it offers. The airline’s customer service, among other departments is also not very effective, and many passengers have complained that the services offered are below standard. This makes customers move to other airlines whose prices reflect the services offered. According to Morrell (2007: 56-67), another problem that the airline faces is bureaucracy, and this causes delay in making crucial decisions. Bureaucracy also leads to inefficiency, since there is duplication of efforts (Wilson and Gilligan 2005: 22-29). Finally, the airline also lacks a clear leadership structure since most CEOs are changed very frequently, which hampers continuity. These factors have combined to discourage potential clients from using this airline. The end result is that the airline has suffered losses for very many years. In fact, since Alitalia began operations in 1947, it only made profit in one year, 1998 (Jarach 2005: 44-46). The net losses that Alitalia has experienced over the last decade amount to 3. 7 billion Euro. Government and private sector attempts to help this airline has bore no fruits yet. The airline has such major financial difficulties that stock exchange regulators in Italy requires it to file its debts, each month in order to monitor them. In 2006, Keegan and Schlegelmilch (2001: 55-61) add that, EU forbade the Italian government from injecting further capital, leading to its sale. Alitalia had a plan of filing for bankruptcy thus protecting itself from creditors. The second part was splitting the airline into the profitable and non profitable part and subsequently liquidating the latter. Comparison between FIAT’s and Alitalia’s problems and strategies. FIAT and Alitalia both experienced similar problems, not only in pricing but in mismanagement. According to Laux 1999 (33-38), FIAT began operations in 1899 and dealt with construction and agricultural equipment, commercial vehicles, aviation, natural gas and power distribution among other operations. It was however not doing well financially, with losses accumulating gradually each year. In 2002, the financial problems became clear after it was announced that the company had losses amounting to $1. 2 billion. General motors was a minor shareholder in FIAT, but did not see it fit to further invest in this company in order to help it overcome these financial difficulties. According to Simonis and Garwood (2004: 44-46), FIAT’s financial difficulties were reduced with the entry of Sergio Marchionne as the CEO. He made radical changes that streamlined operations in the company an improved efficiency. He also integrated an innovation facility specialising in innovating transmissions and engines, which was known as Powertrain technologies. The CEO also ensured that the joint venture with General Motors was terminated since he perceived it to hinder the development of FIAT. He also strengthened the governance structure and introduced non executive and independent directors. Alitalia, as discussed above can use FIAT’s solutions; the revolutionary strategy, not only in pricing but in overhauling the entire organisational structure. Other strategies available. Alitalia has very limited choice of strategies, since its problems go beyond pricing (Baker 2002: 17-19). Any other strategies used, that do not include the revolutionary strategy that overhauls the whole organisation, are not likely to increase the company’s profitability. This is due to the reason that the major problem for the airline lies in the organisational structure and mismanagement. Revolutionary pricing strategy. I would highly recommend a revolutionary strategy, not only in pricing, but the overall organisational structure, in solving Alitalia’s problems. This is due to the reason that most of the strategies that have been previously used have not been successful. In choosing a pricing strategy, I would recommend the penetration pricing strategy, which uses low prices to establish a grip on the market. The airline would then break loyalty that customers have on other airlines, and attract them. This should however be done after re-branding the airline, so that customers may perceive it to have changed for the better. In my opinion, pricing is not the major factor that caused Alitalia’s problems; Government interference did, as seen above. The government of Italy kept on pumping capital to the airline until the EU forbade it. It does not make sense to keep on pumping money into an organisation that is inefficient, since the money will just be wasted. Alitalia needs a revolutionary leader such as FIAT’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne who made changes across the organisational structure of FIAT. He also cut the company free from the joint venture with general Motors in order to create room for FIAT to grow. The CEO of Alitalia should do likewise, and free the airline from interference by the government so that there is room for the airline to grow and develop. He or she should overhaul the current organisational structure since that is where the problem is. He or she should then hire open minded, focused, competent and independent managers who will guide the airline towards prosperity (Pollack 2007: 44-48), (Rhonda 2003: 66-75). Other strategies. Organisational changes cannot take place under the current circumstances since the airline has already lost goodwill and reputation from its clients. The airline should be re-branded and a new vision which reflects the current goals and objectives should be set by the management (Buss 2006: 12-14), (Steward 1999: 44-49). The airline should also take advantage of the airline alliance that it is part of. It should utilise the goodwill of the other bigger airlines such as AeroMexico and use code sharing as a means of marketing its flights. It can also reduce several costs due to sharing resources with the other member airlines. Such resources include spare parts, personnel, administration buildings and others (Lu 2003: 55-59). This will reduce the amount of expenditure that it incurs, which is crucial in attaining profits. Conclusion and recommendation. FIAT and Alitalia both faced similar problems that went beyond pricing. In my opinion, pricing is not the major contributor for the decline of Alitalia. Government interference, mismanagement, bureaucracy and poor service, in my opinion are the main contributors to the airline’s downfall. The airline needs to adopt a revolutionary strategy in the entire organisation, like FIAT did. It also needs to free itself from government interference and re-brand in order to market itself as a new product. After doing this, I would recommend penetration pricing strategy as a means of attracting customers from the other airlines. The airline

How to Write a Professional Email - Proofread My Paper

How to Write a Professional Email - Proofread My Paper How to Write a Professional Email Not that long ago, in the days of pen and paper, sending a written message across the world was a long and expensive process. Nowadays, all we need to do is knock out a quick email, click the â€Å"send† button and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. But do we take this marvel of modern technology for granted? The ease of sending an email makes it easy to not put much thought into its composition, which can lead to your message being misunderstood. In a professional context, this simply isn’t good enough. As such, to make sure you can communicate clearly via email, try following these handy tips. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Subject Line The subject line of your email should be specific enough for the recipient to know what your message is about. For example, if you’re sending a CV, you could make the subject line â€Å"[Your name] CV.† Likewise, if you’re writing to ask a question, you could use the question as the subject line. By comparison, just writing â€Å"IMPORTANT!!! PLEASE READ NOW!!!† isn’t very helpful. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Salutation In a formal email, the salutation will usually be: â€Å"Dear [name of recipient].† Unless you know the recipient well, you should either use their full name or their preferred title (e.g., Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms., etc.). If you don’t know the recipient’s name or gender, use their job title (e.g., â€Å"Dear Recruiter,†) or â€Å"Dear Sir/Madam.† 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Main Body of Your Email The main text of your email should be clear, concise and polite: In the opening lines, identify yourself and your reason for emailing. You may also want to offer a pleasantry to lead on to your main message (e.g., â€Å"I found your article really helpful and would like to ask†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Keep things brief by limiting your email to one or two significant points. If you try to pack too much into a single message, the recipient is more likely to overlook something. Consider how your email will be read, including how it will be understood and its tone. Saying â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you† can definitely help. In formal emails, avoid slang, internet abbreviations (e.g., LOL, IMHO, etc.) and emoji. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sign Off and Signature The appropriate sign off will depend on how familiar you are with the recipient. If it’s a formal email, like a cover letter, something like â€Å"Yours sincerely† or â€Å"Yours respectfully† should work. On less formal occasions, â€Å"Kind regards† and â€Å"Best wishes† are acceptable alternatives. Your signature is your name plus any additional details you want to include afterwards, such as your job title, company name or a link to your website. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proofread It! Finally, don’t forget to proofread your message for clarity before sending; if you need to make doubly sure your email is perfect, get in touch with the professionals!

A Homegrown Writing Retreat

A Homegrown Writing Retreat Ah, the writers retreat! A four-star hotel with room service, or maybe just an idyllic cabin in the woods, with meals delivered on tippy-toe so as not to disturb the Muse. What you couldnt get done in such an environment – provided you can afford the fees and travel costs, and make it past the waiting list. If you cant, dont despair. For the last six years my writers group has held three or four retreats a year: spring, summer, fall and sometimes also winter. Its simple, inexpensive, and very, very effective. Most of us who attend the retreats write daily, and professionally. The retreats allow us to kick-start a new project or make major progress on an existing one. Heres what you need for your own retreat: ==At least three writers committed to showing up all three days. Four, five or six reduces the work per person. More than that would probably be unwieldy. ==A space big enough for everyone to write in, with facilities for meals. Ours is the living room in the home of two of our writers. You might also be able to use a church hall or some other community space that has a kitchen. ==A meal plan. Ours is done a week ahead so everyone knows what meals theyll be responsible for. Meals are scheduled: breakfast 8 a.m., lunch 1 p.m., supper 6 p.m. Theyre also simple, and as much as possible, made ahead. The person responsible for the next meal cleans up from the last one, which means you know where you put the cheese grater or the big spoon. We try to keep breakfast and lunch self-serve, and gather for conversation and readings at dinner. ==A project, and whatever research materials, notes or so on you require, plus your writing tools of choice. We list food sensitivities and dislikes on the meal plan. We also ban television, movies, radio, phone calls and music except with headphones. Visitors are discouraged, and any conversation has to be away from the writing area. Alcohol comes out only in moderation with dinner, where we read aloud from the days work and cheer each other on. Three of us are hard-core and attend every day of every retreat. Three or four others regularly show up for a day or two (with a meal and cleanup). The work is minimal – at worst, one meal and one cleanup per day. Its not unusual to have a day on which youre not responsible for any kitchen work. As for cost, I live fifteen miles from the retreat location and usually do two meals and provide some snacks (fruit, nuts or biscotti, plus dark chocolate). My total costs for the weekend are $60-$80 in gas and food. If my friends guest room is available, its less than that. Results? They can be amazing. I regularly get two weeks worth of writing done in three days. Ive polished a manuscript for publication, written 80 percent of a non-fiction book and ploughed through more pages than I can remember. My colleagues have had similar results. While its my daily writing practice that keeps me productive and sharp, the retreats help me remember that there are others out there sharing this creative life. I come out of a retreat refreshed and re- committed. The camaraderie eases the usual loneliness of the writers work, the feedback warms the heart. And the production doesnt hurt, either.

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Strategic management - Essay Example Retrieved from http://www.usnews.net/index.php/sid/232821615 Treanor, J. (2015). Co-op declares miscount in election to members council. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/13/co-op-group-extends-voting-deadline-after-miscount The Cooperative group has claimed that there was miscounting of votes for election to its council members and had to extend the vote casting period for its members. Members casting their votes via the website faced some problems making the management extend the registration that was set for Wednesday noon. Some individuals who vied for the election got information from the company that the information that they had won the elections was incorrect. The members council comprises of about 100 representatives of its members (The Guardian, 2015). The individuals wishing to represent the independent societies on the members’ council were affected most such as the Midcounties that have an ownership of 22% of the Co-op (Murray, (2015). The rest percentage belongs to the 7 million members using the group’s funeral homes, shops, and the other services. The votes are supposed to be weighted according to the relationship existing between the society and the main group, which never happened in some votes. Two candidates received incorrect information of their success, and some two others were informed that they did not succeed. The bank had a scandal that caused the group to suffer a loss of 2.5bn pounds in the year 2014, and the elections were to bring some reforms in the Co-op group according to The Guardian (2015). There are some controversies regarding the selection of the candidates to represent their members on the group board as initially there was a list containing six members later reduced to three. The reduction of the candidates reduced competition in the contested elections. The top

Risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Risk management - Essay Example An assessment for each risk in terms of impact of the risk and probability of occurrence was made that prompted the formulation of strategies address the risks, to take advantage of the opportunities, or to control the identified threats. BAT’s main strategies basically facing the risk head on and go on with combatting the illicit trade and the increasing excise taxes or shock the may come from government initiate to raise taxes. For finance risks, hedging was the better strategy than not hedging. For the market risks which include inability to obtain required price increase, geopolitical tensions and major climate chance separate strategies at the corporate level were done and should give priority to those with high-level risks which include competition from illicit trade, excise shocks from tax rate increase or structure changes, and management of cost base. This paper aims to identify major risk factor faced by British American Tobacco plc (BAT) using appropriate models/classification. A discussion of possible opportunities or threats would follow the identification. This would be followed by a structure assessment, using a risk map or risk matrix of the impact of the particular risks and the likely occurrence of these risks. The third part would be to formulate strategies for taking advantage of the opportunities, or strategies for controlling the identified threats. The last part of the paper before the conclusion would be to respond to a statement hypothetically made by an executive of saying something about the uselessness of corporate governance. The respond would focus on the relevance of the corporate governance regulation. Illicit trade is defined as proliferation of illegal competition in the form of counterfeit products (Ortiz &. Tajes, 2009; Dandeker, 1992), genuine but smuggled products and even those of locally manufactured products on which applicable taxes are evaded (British American Tobacco, 2011). The

College tuition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

College tuition - Research Paper Example This paper attempts to investigate the economic costs and benefits associated with college tuition. The research will also help administrative bodies and students to identify the key factors affecting the effectiveness of college education. Finally, the conclusion will suggest effective measures to minimize the benefits cost associated with college tuition. COSTS AND BENEFITS OF EDUCATION The Opportunity Costs of College Education A number of opportunity costs are associated with college education. When a student decides to get admission in college instead of earning on a job, the lost earning is the opportunity cost. Since there is large number of applicants than the available seats, the rejection of more deserving students account for opportunity cost to that college. If the enrolled student is not utilizing his capabilities efficiently, the rejected student might have proven more successful to college and the society. Furthermore, the qualified student directly suffered emotional stress and tangible loss. The Economic Costs of College Education The tuition payment made for college education is an investment in student’s future. The cost of college education is increasing with every passing year as illustrated in figure 01. Figure 01. Increasing Trends in College Pricing Source: The College Board, 2010. However, the college tuition cost considerably varies depending on the choice of college. Around 47% of the fulltime undergraduate students are enrolled into four-year colleges with tuition fees less than $9,000 per annum. Comparatively, the private four-year colleges charge students with more than $35,000 per annum. Sometimes, these colleges also offer partial scholarships and financial aid programs attracting more applicants. The average tuition and fees at a two-year college stands around 2, 713 per annum. Few of the colleges may also offer to cover all tuition costs in full scholarships. In the year 2009-10, around $154 billion was spent in providin g financial aid to college students. Benefits College education is quite beneficial investment in terms of developing human capital. The lifetime income potential of a person far increases with education and training. These days, it is vital for a person to be prepared to work in modern economies by getting reasonable education. College tuition is thus an investment in enhancing knowledge, skills, competencies, values and habits of a person. Apart from the monetary awards, various social benefits are also associated with college education. College education has remarkably decreased the public reliance on financial assistance programs leading to the generation of more tax revenues. This also increases the serving capacity of the public sector. The costs imposed by criminal justice system on the society cannot be ignored. Over the past few decades, education has resulted in decrease of crime rates. Thus, the public sector funds spend by the system on prosecution, punishment and probat ion of criminals can be utilized for social welfare. In addition, educated people are capable of forming a more interacting civil society. TUITION DATA According to the Trends in College Pricing 2010 report, increase in grant aid has resulted in decline of average tuition and fees in the recent years. However, a large number of students are still paying full tuition charges that are increasing every year. For instance, Students at four-year public colleges with no financial funding paid 7.9% more in 2010 than they

CMS Detector at the LHC: Calorimetry (EM, Had, Forward)

CMS Detector at the LHC: Calorimetry (EM, Had, Forward) CMS structure: Solenoid: Most particles are stopped by the detector except for few, such as muons, neutrino. Main difference between ATLAS and CMS is that CMS has solenoid on the outer layer, so it bends the trajectory of the muons again in an opposite direction (opposite pointing magnetic field). Depending on how much the trajectory is bent, we can deduce the momentum of the particle. Tracking system and both EM and Hadronic calorimeters fit inside the superconducting CMS solenoid, which generated Magnetic Field of 3.8 Tesla (100 000 that of the Earth). Tracking detector (measures momentum, charge, decay) – silicon detector is the inner most layer. The CMS tracker records the paths taken by charged (not neutral) particles by registering their positions at various key points. The tracker can detect the paths of high energy muons, electrons and hadrons, as well as tracks coming from decays of very short lived particles such as b quark used to study the differences between matter and antimatter. (WEB: http://cms.web.cern.ch/news/tracker-detector). The tracker is very lightweight and precise, so it has minimal effect on the paths the particles take. Each position measurement is accurate to 10 micrometers. The tracker material is selected to withstand high levels of radiation, since it is the inner most layer and so receives the highest volume of particles. CMS uses silicon strip sensors (detectors) in shape of rods, covering area of 206 sq.m. (wiki), adding up to 25000 silicon sensors. Also used silicon pixel detectors, which are in principle very similar to silicon strip sensors, but have a segmentation of pixel diodes instead of strip diodes. The 65 million pixels (each generating ~50 microwatts) are mounted on the cooling tubes form the 3 inner most layers. Silicon microstrip detectors then stretch out in a 130 cm combined radius barrel with inner and outer endcaps to close off the tracker. Calorimeter (an apparatus to measure energy of the particle AND particle identification) – scintillating crystal (EM calorimeter made of lead tungsten, a very dense material that produces light when hit), and then sampling calorimeter for hadrons. The ECAL is sandwiched inside the solenoid after the tracking system and before the HCAL. EM calorimeter is used to measure energies of electrons and photons, because they are likely to be produced in reactions for Higgs and other new physics. LHC collides bunches of high energy protons every 25 ns, so the calorimeter material is required to have very specific properties. PbWO4 – lead tungstate is the crystal of choice for the following reasons: 1. the material is high density and has heavy nuclei (explain why is this good); 2. the oxide crystal is transparent and scintillates, emits a small flash of light(well-defined photon bursts), when electron or photon pass through it. This means the calorimeter system is very precise an d very compact; 3.lead tungstate is relatively easy to manufacture from readily available raw materials. Each crystal is equipped with a photodetector (specially designed to work in a high radiation levels and strong magnetic field) that registers the scintillation light which is converted into an electric signal, amplified, and sent for analysis. The ECAL made in a barrel shape (to fit inside the solenoid, of course) with two flat endcaps (one closing off each side of the barrel). The barrel part consists of 36 supermodules, each containing 1700 crystals, adding up to 61,200 crystals in total. The endcaps are made up of almost 15000 crystals. There are 75,848 crystals in ECAL. Each crystal (volume 2.22.223 cm in the barrel; 3x3x22 cm in the endcaps) weights 1.5 kg, each crystal took 2 days to grow, in total it took 10 years to grow all crystals. The crystals were manufactured in Russia and China, where appropriate facilities already existed. Issues: The yield of light in the crystal depends strongly on temperature, so a sophisticated cooling system is required to keep the crystals at constant temperature. Also, the light signal needs to be converted into an electrical signal (via photodetectors) to be recorded, and since the initial signal is relatively weak, amplification is required. Photodetectors: Avalanche photodiodes (APD) for the barrel and vacuum phototriodes (VPT) for endcaps (because the radiation is too high to use silicon photodiodes), as these can operate in strong magnetic field and high radiation. Lead tungstate crystals (though fairly radiation resistant) suffer limited radiation damage – the crystal structure is disturbed, hence the optical transmission decreases. This effect is accounted for during the operation of the detector and appropriate corrections are included in the data analysis. The crystals are probed by light monitoring system to register the optical transmission. The radiation damag e can be reversed (anneal) when CMS is not operating. In room temperature the atoms within the crystal return to orderly positions. Each crystal is identified with a unique barcode, registered in a database, and measured (light transmission and scintillating properties in ACCOS machine). Cut to micrometer precision. Getting the material right was only one of the challenges for the ECAL team; each crystal had to be cut, machined, polished, tested and given a photodetector. Groups of crystals were then assembled side-by-side in glass-fibre or carbon-fibre â€Å"pockets† to form larger structures known as â€Å"supercrystals†, â€Å"modules† and â€Å"supermodules†. The crystals arent pure, but doped to improve their properties. Each crystal is cut and polished to a precise size, so that all pass the light the same way. There are 34 categories of crystal, 22 slightly different varieties of capsules with an attached photodetector. For barrel the crystals are first grouped into sub-modules: 10 crystals per lightweight glass fibre box. 40-50 sub-modules then make up a module, and 4 modules m ake up one of the 36 supermodules. Endcaps are constructed from 25 (55) crystal blocks, or supercrystals. Monitoring and cooling systems as well as final electronics are added to the supermodules before they are placed inside the experimental cavity. To ensure stable and equal operation of the crystals, the cooling system keeps all crystals within 0.1 oC of the optimum temperature. What is scintillation? Scintillation detectors are one of the most often used particle detection devices (Leo 157). Scintillators are made of specific materials that emit a flash of light when struck by a particle or radiation. The emitted light signal is amplified by photomultipliers and converted into an electrical signal which is then analysed. In ECAL electron or photon collides with the heavy nuclei of PbWO4, generating a shower of electrons, positrons and photons. These shower particles penetrate the scintillator further, colliding with more nuclei and producing more shower particles. Atomic electrons take fraction of energy from the passing particles and enter excited states. When they de-excite back into a ground state, the atomic electrons emit a photon of blue light, i.e. a scintillation. The blue light is picked up by photodetectors. The lead tungstate crystals produce a relatively low yield for each incoming particle, so the signal needs to be amplified. (transmitted to t he photomultiplier, converted into a weak current of photoelectrons, and further amplified by an electron multiplier system LEO 158). The total generated light signal is linearly proportional to the energy of the incident particle. Photodetectors? All photodetectors are glued to the crystals. Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs) are made of silicon with a strong electric field applied to them. Scintilation photons knock an electron out of an atom, and the electron accelerates in the E field, striking more electrons from silicon atoms. The latter also accelerate and knock out more electrons (the number increases exponentially), hence creating an avalanche. This method allows producing a high current in a short period of time. The amplified and digitized signal is transported away by fibre optics cables away from the radiation area for analysis. A different kind of photodetectors is used in the endcaps due to much higher radiation levels than in the barrel. Vacuum Phototrides (VPTs) contain three electrodes within a vacuum (hence the name). When the scintillating photon strikes atoms in the first electrode, released electrons accelerate towards the second electrode (positive anode) and knock out more electrons. The latter accelerate towards the third electrode (dynode with a higher electric potential than the anode) and again knock out more electrons. This method also produces a strong current form a weak light signal, which is carried away from the high radiation zone via optic fibre cables (what kind of optic fibre cables). http://cms.web.cern.ch/news/crystal-calorimeter The region in the endcaps must was designed to distinguish between closely spaced particle pairs (such as for example in case of a short lived neutral pion decaying into two closely spaced low energy photons that might be mistaken for one high energy photon from Higgs decay). A special ECAL preshower is located in the endcaps before the EM calorimeter crystals. It is the made of two lead panels followed by silicon sensors (6.3cm x 6.3cm x 0.3mm). Each silicon sensor is divided into 32 strips each 2mm wide. Compared to 3cm wide scintillator crystals the preshower sensor resolution is better (5% precise energy measurement Ph.Bolch). The photon passing through lead sheet produces a shower containing e e+ pairs which are measured by the silicon detector strips. The silicon detectors are kept at temperatures between -10 oC and -15 oC for optimal and long-term performance. The outside of the preshower is heated to temperatures of the ECAL, since the crystals performance Muon chamber, muon detectors which are inside the return yoke of the magnet (Track, muons identification). To identify muons and measure their momenta CMS uses three types of detectors: Drift tubes DT (in barrel position measurement), cathode strip chambers CSC (in endcaps position measurement), and resistive plate chambers RPC (in barrel and endcaps trigger). Energy measurement: calorimetry- by creation and total absorption of showers, either EM (light ammount) or hadronic (penetration depth). Social Work Provisions for the Elderly: History and Politics Social Work Provisions for the Elderly: History and Politics In this paper, I aim to discuss the historical and political context of social work provision for the elderly. By using and reviewing the views expressed in previous work on the elderly in our society, I hope to demonstrate the context in which social work and social care operate. One of the concerns of this essay is the impacts of discrimination and oppression on the elderly. I will discuss how listening to the views of service users is crucial to developing effective methods of providing social care. In the last two to three decades, a fairly wide body of academic work has become available, approaching the issues of ageing and of care for the elderly, within the discipline of Social Policy. Social Policy is an interdisciplinary field born from, and derived upon, other social sciences economics, politics, sociology etc. (Tinker:1992:3) Within this field, the specific discipline of gerontology the study of ageing has developed in recent decades because the elderly population has increased so sizeably in the last 50 years. Cherry Rowlings wrote in 1977 that while in 1951, just 13% of the British population was of retirement age, by 1977 this had increased to 17.3%. (Rowlings:1981:27) Since the 1970s we have seen this trend continue. This change can be attributed both to comparatively low birth rates, and the increased life expectancy. Businesses, the professions and the media are finding now that pensioners form one of their biggest markets. (Tinker: 1992: 3) Rather than using medical and biological models, social gerontology focuses on the ways in which social and cultural factors influence peoples experiences of growing older. Tinker writes that the elderly are unusual in that they have been labelled a special group in our society, and yet the only think that marks them out is their age unlike groups seen as deviant they are normal people and we all expect to join this group in time. (Tinker:1992:4) However, although not labelled deviant, the elderly have nonetheless been constructed as a problem, as Jacki Pritchard writes: An elderly person is thought to be of no use once they reach retirement age, probably because they are not seen to be producing anything for the society in which they live. They are considered to have had their life.' She notes that this differs from other cultures, in which capitalism is less advanced. (Pritchard:1992:16) And Nicholas Bosanquet has noted that the rate at which the elderly population is growing causes great anxiety in society. He cites Professor Sir Ferguson Anderson as saying in 1976, Britain faces social disaster because of the rate at which the proportion of elderly people is rising. (Bosanquet:1978:7) He goes on, The emphasis has come to be more and more on the elderly as a burden even as a threat to the standards of service or opportunity enjoyed by the rest of the population. (Bosanquet:1978:79) Changes in medicine have made illness and disability a problem particular to the elderly. Diseases that effected the young in previous centuries, have been controlled or wiped out in this country, and now children and young adults can expect to be in good health. Similarly, disability from birth is relatively rare; and blindness, deafness and mobility problems are impairments by far most commonly experienced by the elderly. (Bosanquet:1978:21) The medical model of disability has traditionally seen disability as naturally and inevitably arising out of a physical or mental impairment. The more contemporary social model, however, has argued against this, in saying that whilst a person may have a natural impairment, it is societys failure to accommodate people with this difference to the norm, which disables them. For example, though a person may be unable to walk and require the use of a wheelchair, this does not inevitably make their life so very different from the life of an able-bodied person. Rather, it is a lack of easy access to public buildings and transport, poor adaptations in housing and so on, which turn this impairment into a striking disability. In the case of elderly people, because ill health and disability is now so much restricted to the oldest generations, it is seen as natural and inevitable that older people will lead very different lives from younger adults, and that the quality of their lives will decrease. However, this can be seen as only a construction, as many of the problems faced by older people could be altered by changes in public provisions and social care. Bosanquet notes that mental health, most significantly depression, are as great a problem as physical health for the elderly. He writes that this is because the most important factors people attribute to their happiness at all stages of life, are ones which elderly people are least able to take for granted. These include: oHealth oFamily life/friends. The elderly will almost inevitably face bereavement, but also having decreased transport/mobility, and fewer places to go where they can meet and make friends, both increases their sense of isolation and decreases their independence. oFinancial/ home stability. The elderly live on pensions. The decrease in their health can lead to them losing their home. (Bosanquet: 1978:10) The elderly are increasingly separated from the rest of the population. They suffer great isolation. But policy has been seen only as pension policy. Nicholas Bosanquet argues that the Government needs to intervene not only when the elderly person has no relatives, but even in addition or instead of care from family. He stresses that policy must increase choice and opportunity, as the elderly find themselves unable to decide and control their own futures. (Bosanquet:1978:75-77) One of the most fundamental issues facing the elderly is the problem of housing. Bosanquet reports that since the 1970s, governments have been concerned with designing special flats for the elderly. These solve some housing problems and give people the opportunity to form small communities with others in their own age bracket. (Bosanquet:1978:92) He writes that this is not a new idea; in the Majority Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Law I 1909, there is mention of special housing for the elderly. However, the views of what elderly people require from housing has been deeply flawed, due to a failure of policy makers to listen to the ideas of the elderly, about what they need in day to day life. After the Second World War, there was great interest in building small housing for the elderly. However, reports of the time did not view it as necessary to provide many special features or fittings for the elderly. The post-war Rowntree Report stated that bungalows were the preferable type of housing; two-story houses provided problems for pensioners with impaired mobility, and the elderly often did not like living in flats, as they were not considered private or independent enough. The report stated that houses for the elderly people must be built with easy access to local shops, close to the persons family and friends, and near housing for younger generations so that the elderly did not feel cut off from the rest of society. The report did state that flooring and any stairs in the property must be designed for safety and ease of manueverability. This would mean using non-slip materials on flooring, and ensuring that stairs were neither too steep or built around awkward angles. However, these precautions aside, there were no provisions made for wardens or for providing a safe environment for those with health problems. (Bosanquet:1978:95) Subsequently, between 1945 and the early 70s, a good number of small flats were built, but these were not reserved exclusively for pensioners and many housed younger adults. Very few were built with any special design features which would have made them safer and more convenient for the elderly. More recently the idea of sheltered accommodation has grown up, though many people see this simply as a compromise before the nursing home. (Bosanquet:1978:97) Bosanquet concludes that the elderly need schemes which help them find a new lifestyle and to decrease their sense of isolation. Luncheon clubs, good neighbour schemes, day centres and holiday schemes are essential provisions in his view. He believes that these services are more important than simply focusing on income support; however policy makers have tended to see this is a luxury, rather than one of the essentials of government spending plans.(Bosanquet:1978:97) He argues that services should increase their focus on the over 75s. Younger retired people are more likely to still be living with spouses and in their own homes. More years after retirement, however, and any savings the person may have had will likely have run out, and pensions become increasingly inadequate whilst the cost of living actually increases, as for example the elderly person needs to spend more on maintaining their health, in heating bills and medicine/doctors fees. (Bosanquet:1978:124) While this and many other books on the subject of elderly people outline the historical, political and economic factors in pensioners lives, they do not all cite the opinions of elderly service users themselves. Very often social policy and research is based on accounts given by social workers, or by representatives of a vulnerable group for example the families of children or in this case elderly people. To address this, Jacki Pritchards book The Abuse of Elderly People includes a great deal of anecdotal evidence and transcriptions of interviews with elderly people. By focusing on cases of actual abuse, the book may appear to be dealing with an extreme aspect of poor care for the elderly it may not be expected that abuse is a concern of the majority of older people. However, the principles of the book are useful as it outlines some of the ways in which older people are discriminated against, and how many of their needs and interests are oppressed. Pritchard is keen to stress the d ifferent areas in which elderly people may be abused 1. Physical, which includes medical maltreatment and neglect. 2. Psychological abuse, including threats of abuse, humiliation, harassment, emotional neglect and threats of any kind of abuse. 3. Legal abuse, including material and personal exploitation. (Pritchard:1992:21) Elderly people are not always given othe right to choose othe right to privacy othe right to independence. Pritchard considers it vital that if a person is mentally sound, and chooses to stay with their family even when the professional considers the family to be abusive, then the social carer must do no more than offer the elderly person support and inform them of their options. However, of course, there are different standards over what is mentally sound, and even what to do if someone is not. She is also keen to point out the difference in practices between the various professions involved in an elderly persons life. Very often, the policies of the doctors, care home nurses, and social workers arein direct conflict, and the normal policies of one may seem unacceptable to another. Subsequently, what is important returns to ensuring the rights listed above are honoured, and judgement of whether or not this is done can be made only by the elderly persons own experience. (Pritchard:1992:25) Pritchard reports that carers are more likely to become abusive, when they themselves are denied adequate support. The carers sense of isolation, their resentment towards the tasks they undertake, and their lack of external support, leads to an increase in abusive behaviour towards the elderly person being cared for. As a common sense measure, therefore, policy must be adapted to provide support and respite for carers, in the interests of all parties involved. (Pritchard:1992:33) In conclusion, it has been seen that many of the problems that elderly people face could be significantly diminished by improvements in social care. Rather than being natural effects of ageing, these problems are more frequently caused by discrimination in society against older people. As society has placed most significance on the needs of younger adults, there have not been adequate provisions made for the elderly for housing, health care and social integration. In response to these needs, social work needs to take steps to reduce the oppression of older people. This will involve maximising elderly peoples ability to make independent choices in their lives, and to enjoy the same standard of life as younger adults. Above all, social workers and researchers should listen to service users as they explain what services they need. Bosanquet, Nicholas (1978) A Future for Old Age: Towards a New Society. Temple Smith: London. Pritchard, Jacki (1992) The Abuse of Elderly People: A Handbook for Professionals. Jessica Kingsley Publishing: London. Rowlings, Cherry (1981) Social Work with Elderly People. Harper Collins: London. Tinker, Anthea (1992) Elderly People In Modern Society, Third Edition. Longman: London and New York.